Titus

The sermon from Ascension Lutheran Church focuses on the upcoming congregational Bible reading plan, which will follow a chronological approach beginning in September. The pastor introduces the book of Titus, a New Testament epistle written by Paul to his close companion Titus, a Greek convert and trusted co-worker in the early Christian mission. The sermon explores the significance of Titus’s identity as a Gentile who was not compelled to undergo circumcision, a critical issue in early Christianity that reflected broader debates about who could be considered a child of God—Jews alone or Gentiles as well. This theological tension is linked to Jesus’s teaching on mercy and neighborly love, as illustrated by the parable of the Good Samaritan, emphasizing that God’s grace, not ritual or ethnicity, defines belonging in God’s family.

A key focal point is the powerful verse from Titus 2:11-14, which highlights God’s grace as the transformational “tool” that enables believers to renounce worldly passions and live godly lives. Using a vivid analogy about having a board full of screws but only a hammer instead of the proper screwdriver, the pastor stresses that the church often mistakenly demands moral perfection without providing the grace needed for true change. Instead, the grace of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is the essential means by which believers are equipped to grow spiritually.

The sermon challenges the church and its members to be patient and compassionate with themselves and others, embracing the gospel’s message of unconditional love and forgiveness. It invites the congregation to be a welcoming community that offers grace rather than judgment, encouraging people to bring their “brokenness” and receive God’s transformative grace. The message culminates in a call for the church to embody this grace and to actively share the gospel with those who have not yet experienced it.